Ar-Ra‘d 13:13

The issue

This verse presents two issues:

Personification and symbolism of thunder

The verse states that the thunder celebrates the praises of Allah. The expression “the thunder celebrates His praise” is explained as “thunder magnifies Allah and glorifies him, so he commends him by his attributes and declares him blameless”. Al-Qurţubī writes this comment:

It is told that thunder was an angel who drove the clouds,…and that he was in charge of the clouds, dismissing them to wherever he is commanded, and that he praises Allah. When thunder praises, no remaining angel in heaven would but raise his voice with praise. Then, rain falls.

The background of this story originates from a discussion between Muhammad and a group of Jews who asked him about thunder. Muhammad responded that thunder is “an angel from the angels who are in charge of the clouds and have bolts of fire to drive the clouds wherever Allah wills.” When Muhammad was asked about the sound that is heard, he replied that “it is his [the angel’s] rebuke of the clouds. When a cloud strays, he reins it in; if his anger simmers, fire flies from his mouth, which is thunder.” In another dialogue he states, “Allah raises the clouds and makes them speak the best of what is spoken and makes them laugh the best of laughter. Its speaking is the thunder and its laughter is the lightning”. It appears that Muhammad did not comprehend what was meant by the Jews’ inquiry concerning thunder, so he replied that thunder celebrates the praises of God. The Jews actually wanted to test Muhammad because they believed that thunder accompanies divine appearances. When hail smites the land of Egypt, God gives “thunder and hail” (NIV, Exod. 9.23). Also, when the Law is given to the Israelites, thunder, lightning, and clouds are present (Exod. 19.16, 20.18). Thunder is used figuratively as a sign of the might of God (Job 14.26).

Muhammad’s response demonstrates his lack of knowledge of Old Testament “divine signs,” which is why his reply did not address the intent behind the Jews’ question. It also has no scientific merit; thunder and lightning result from the collision of negative and positive electric charges in the atmosphere. The collision results in a light, which is lightning, and a sound, which is thunder.

Attributes of Allah

The verse describes Allah as shadīd al-mihāli (“strong in might”), a term, which according to Islamic commentaries, has several meanings:

mighty in enmity, mighty in prowess, mighty in taking, mighty in hatred, mighty in strength, mighty in anger, mighty in desolating a place (drought), mighty in trickery (craftiness), mighty in vengeance, In the same sura Allah is again described as a crafty plotter in Q 13.42.

Question: Are such attributes worthy to be ascribed to God? (See the critical analysis of Q 3.54, Qur’ān Dilemma 1: 285.)